FAQs
What is Live Your Life WellSM?
Live Your Life Well is a national public education campaign designed to help people better manage stress and/or major life changes by taking actions to preserve and strengthen their mental health. Live Your Life Well offers 10 evidence-based tools that one can use to support optimal mental health. The 10 Tools are based on a body of scientific evidence in behavioral and medical research. The heart of the campaign is the Live Your Life Well website, which provides information on the Tools and concrete, easy-to-understand actions that people can take. The campaign is a program of Mental Health America, the leading nonprofit in the nation dedicated to promoting mental health.
Who is Mental Health America?
Celebrating 100 years of mental health advocacy, Mental Health America is the country's leading nonprofit dedicated to helping all people live mentally healthier lives. With our more than 300 affiliates nationwide, we represent a growing movement of Americans who promote mental wellness for the health and well-being of the nation-every day and in times of crisis. You can find out more about Mental Health America by visiting our website at www.mentalhealthamerica.net.
What is the scientific basis for the 10 Tools featured on the website?
Mental Health America looked at a wide range of research in mental health, a field that has made enormous strides in recent years. There is now a new understanding of how our thoughts and actions can impact our mental health, and changes we can take to improve our health. The Tools are based on information gathered from hundreds of research studies with thousands of participants, often conducted over decades. Many were conducted by researchers at major universities or government agencies.
Does a person have to do all 10 Tools to see a difference?
No. Users should read about the tools on the website, and start by working on one or two. Any positive change, no matter how small it seems at first, can help make a real difference. These tools represent reasonable actions that, if used consistently, can increase comfort and one's ability to reduce stress and begin to build a more rewarding life.
How hard are the 10 Tools to do?
When you're under a great deal of stress, it may feel overwhelming to make any change in your life, no matter how small. But the goal of Live Your Life Well is to give you do-able, manageable activities that can really make a difference. You don't need to do all of them, nor do many of them at once. But small changes, over time, may make a real difference in helping you manage the challenges you're facing.
Is there a cost for Live Your Life Well?
No. Live Your Life Well is provided at no cost to the public as a service of Mental Health America, a nonprofit organization.
What is the time commitment needed for Your Life Well?
Live Your Life Well is not a program that requires a large commitment of time. We suggest that users go onto the website and begin to read some of the suggestions and then try one or two that seem do-able. Mental Health America developed Live Your Life Well so that it would be helpful and relevant to everyone.
What about confidentiality?
Users' privacy is very important to us. You can visit the Live Your Life Well website and view all its contents without registering or providing any personal information. Our privacy policy is posted on the website, and we take it very seriously. Users may wish to sign up for our regular e-mail updates, but that is entirely optional.
Will the activities of Live Your Life Well prevent a person from getting a mental illness, such as anxiety or depression?
Many mental illnesses, like other medical conditions, are caused by a combination of factors, including biology and one's environment. It's important to understand that mental illnesses are real and, in most cases, treatable and are never anyone's "fault."
For some people, it may be possible to reduce the likelihood or severity of some mental illnesses, such as anxiety or depression, by engaging in activities that increase their ability to effectively deal with life's problems and challenges. Finally, if you do think you have symptoms of a mental illness, it's important to seek professional help - that's why one of the tools on Live Your Life Well encourages people to do just that. "Self help," while important, is no substitute for the care of a mental health or other health professional.
If someone has a mental illness, will Live Your Life Well help?
The activities of Live Your Life Well are no substitute for professional care if you have a mental illness. If you think you have symptoms of a mental illness, you should immediately talk to your doctor or a mental health professional for an accurate diagnosis and to find out about the treatments that may be right for you. If you have been diagnosed with a mental illness, and are under the care of a professional, you may find the activities described in the Live Your Life Well website helpful and supportive during your recovery. With the right treatment and support, many people with mental illness can "live their life well."
Is a computer required to get information about Your Life Well?
For now, the detailed information on the Live Your Life Well website is only available online at www.LiveYourLifeWell.org. However, the 300 affiliates of Mental Health America are wonderful sources of information on a variety of mental health topics. Please visit Mental Health America's Affiliate Directory for a full directory of our affiliates.
How is Live Your Life Well funded?
Live Your Life Well is made possible through unrestricted educational grants from Eli Lilly and Company, AstraZeneca, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Forest Laboratories, Inc.
